Something like Lagunitas Imperial Red

Picked up some Lagunitas Imperial Red a few weeks ago. I've had it before and quite enjoy it. Thinking of trying to approximate the style, though probably not Lagunitas IR specifically. This is what I've come up with, which is based on a lower gravity American Red that I've brewed before. I liked the hop character in that beer, but the body seemed lacking. This will be beefier all around. BTW, Lagunitas Imperial Red checks in at about 7.8% abv and 84 IBU.s

My Imperial Red thought:
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Imperial Red
Author: StunnedMonkey
Date: 12/14/2009

Size: 6.0 gal
Efficiency: 72.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%

Original Gravity: 1.075
Terminal Gravity: 1.019
Color: 18.88
Alcohol: 7.39%
Bitterness: 78.0

Grains:

16.0 lb American 2-row
1 lb Crystal Malt 40°L
1 lb Crystal Malt 80°L
.5 lb Crystal Malt 120°L
1 oz American Black Patent

Hops:

1 oz Columbus (14.2%) - First Wort Hop
.5 oz Columbus (14.2%) - 60.0 min
1 oz Amarillo (8.2%) - 5.0 min
1 oz Simcoe (11.9%) - 5.0 min
.5 oz Simcoe (11.9%) - 0
.5 oz Amarillo (8.2%) - 0
1.0 ea White Labs WLP001 California Ale
1.0 oz Amarillo (8.2%) - Dry
1 oz Simcoe (11.9%) - Dry

Mash at 154
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I think I'll try a FWH with this to help smooth out the bitterness. I've not tried it before.

Any thoughts?

I was just commenting on another post about WLP 001. Perhaps that yeast is the reason your last beer lacked body (I find that 1056 from wyeast hollows out my beers). You might try the high-flocculating english strain (002) at low temps. It's lower attenuating, but that's what Lagunitas uses.

Yeah, I would use 002/1968 for a Lagunitas clone.

Brewing Classic Styles has a clone of Red Rocket, which is obviously a different beer, if you want some ideas on hop schedule and grain bill.

What you have looks good though, I would be tempted to do some columbus later to get more of a pungent hop character which I like in beers with a lot of caramel character.

How about some Munich malt?

WorryWort said:

You might try the high-flocculating english strain (002) at low temps. It's lower attenuating, but that's what Lagunitas uses.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I might use WLP002 instead. I used it in my Lagunitas IPA clone. I agree it makes better sense here as well.

remilard said:

I would be tempted to do some columbus later to get more of a pungent hop character which I like in beers with a lot of caramel character.

Click to expand...

Maybe. I really like the hop character in the lower gravity American Red, and I'd hate to monkey with that too much since I want the same here. But this is a bigger beer so maybe I should think about that.

McGarnigle said:

How about some Munich malt?

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Yeah. How about some Munich. Maybe I could swap in a pound Munich in place of some 2-row.

i brewed the evil twin and tasted it along with the imperial red. the imperial red was noticeably sweeter and i think it had a bit more toasty flavor.
the evil twin used
12lb pale malt
1lb c40
1lb munich
.5lb victory
.5lb c120
.25lb pal chocolate 200L

i used us05 with the evil twin though.